Fine dining in the sky, fab wines and a Murray River special
Your weekly taste of Australia’s best food, drinks and spirited discoveries
Welcome back to Uncorked & Forked, your weekly taste of Australia’s best food, drinks and spirited discoveries.
This week, I’ve been treated to a rather extraordinary lunch at Sydney’s Woodcut restaurant, where the prawns were outstanding and a live conversation with cabin crew aboard an aircraft approaching Saudi Arabia gave us a glimpse of the future of air travel.
We’re also opening a beautiful Heathcote Shiraz with a remarkable First Nations story, heading to the Adelaide Hills for a country pub with a staggering wine cellar, and discovering what Adam Liaw has been cooking up.
And if you’re looking for somewhere to go, there’s a brand-new storytelling festival beside the Murray, a celebration of wine in Orange, a whiskey-fuelled harbour party and a rather cheeky night of Champagne and cabaret.
Let’s get into it.
MAIN COURSE
From Woodcut to the clouds: Qatar Airways takes fine dining to new heights
There I was, enjoying a beautiful lunch at Woodcut, the acclaimed restaurant at Crown Sydney, when our attention suddenly turned to a screen.
On it were Qatar Airways cabin crew, speaking to us live from an aircraft coming in to land in Saudi Arabia. The picture was crisp, the conversation clear, and the whole thing was quite remarkable when you consider we were chatting with people thousands of kilometres away, travelling through the sky.
It was a demonstration of the airline’s Starlink satellite internet connectivity, which is being rolled out across its widebody fleet. And it certainly made an impression.
But the real reason I’d been invited to this exclusive Thursday lunch was something much closer to my heart: food.
Qatar Airways has enlisted celebrated Australian chef Ross Lusted, the man behind Woodcut, to create new menus for its First and Business Class passengers travelling from Australia.
A First Class taste sensation
We were given a preview of dishes destined for the skies from February through July 2027, and I can tell you the standard was impressive.
The standout for me was Woodcut’s tiger prawns, served with harissa oil, pickled carrot, spice crunch and mint leaves. Absolutely outstanding. Beautifully presented, full of flavour and exactly the sort of dish you’d be delighted to find on a restaurant menu, let alone aboard an aircraft.
That dish is heading for First Class, along with roasted fish fillet served with seafood orzo broth, young fennel, green olive and saffron oil.
Business Class passengers haven’t been forgotten either. Their menu includes Woodcut’s slow-cooked lamb shoulder with softened lentils, young spinach and puffed quinoa, followed by caramel-roasted apple with pastry crust, vanilla cream and verbena.
Of course, there’s more to a memorable meal than the food.
Lorenzo’s Way
The airline has also partnered with Italian mixologist Lorenzo Antinori, the creative force behind Hong Kong’s Bar Leone, which was named the World’s Best Bar in 2025.
His new onboard cocktail collection includes the Tokyo 75, combining Japanese craft gin, Champagne and lemon juice, and the Golden Delilah, a rather tempting combination of vodka, Champagne and apple juice.
There’s also a Japanese Old Fashioned featuring Hibiki whisky, while those avoiding alcohol can choose from a dedicated mocktail menu featuring creations such as Oriental Fizz and Pineapple Margarita.
The cocktails are already available in premium cabins on Qatar Airways flights departing Australia and New Zealand for Doha or beyond, with a selection also served in the airline’s A380 onboard lounge.
More happening beyond the dining table
Qatar Airways says more than 150 of its widebody aircraft are now Starlink-connected, with more than 23 million passengers having used the high-speed service since its introduction in October 2024.
The airline has also introduced refreshed amenity kits from French fragrance house Diptyque, featuring body lotion, lip balm, face mist and a miniature fragrance.
It’s quite a package, particularly for travellers who appreciate the pleasures of a long-haul flight.
As I left Woodcut, I kept thinking about those magnificent prawns and that astonishingly clear conversation with the cabin crew.
If that’s a taste of where premium air travel is heading, there are some very enjoyable journeys ahead.
Good Drops
Bidja Shiraz — Heathcote, Victoria
Some wines deserve attention for what’s in the bottle and others have a story worth telling long before the cork comes out. Bidja has both.
I recently tried its Heathcote Shiraz and was seriously impressed. What an amazing drop. Rich, generous and beautifully satisfying, it’s a wine I’d happily put on the table alongside some much bigger names.
But the story behind Bidja is every bit as compelling.
The name Bidja means friend in the Ngiyampaa language, reflecting co-founder Craig Cromelin’s family heritage.
Craig helped establish Murrin Bridge Wines, a pioneering First Nations-owned and operated vineyard in western NSW. The community planted thousands of vines, helping create an important chapter in Australian winemaking history.
Today, Bidja brings that heritage together with winemaking expertise from Buller Wines in Rutherglen.
My Verdict: An amazing Australian Shiraz that I’d recommend on taste alone. Discovering the story behind it makes the experience even better.
The Region: Heathcote, Victoria.
Best with: Slow-roasted lamb, a good steak or aged cheddar.
Price: Listed at $30, subject to availability.
Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Chardonnay 2025 — South Australia
The Barossa might be famous for its big, bold reds, but here’s a reminder that the region can produce a very appealing white wine, too.
Château Tanunda’s 2025 Grand Barossa Chardonnay has picked up a gold medal at the 2026 Berlin Wine Trophy, and at around $25 a bottle, it’s well worth a look.
The wine offers citrus, melon and white peach characters, with subtle oak influence adding some extra interest. It’s the sort of Chardonnay that should appeal to people who enjoy a little richness without wanting their wine overwhelmed by oak.
My Verdict: A gold-medal Chardonnay at an approachable price. One to consider for spring entertaining.
The Region: Barossa, South Australia.
Best with: Roast chicken, grilled barramundi or creamy seafood pasta.
Price: Approximately $25.
Festival Watch
Good yarns, great music and a weekend by the Murray
There’s a new festival coming to Echuca-Moama, and I have to admit to having a particularly soft spot for this one.
The inaugural Festival of Stories runs from October 16–18, bringing musicians, authors, comedians and storytellers together for a weekend beside the Murray River.
And what a setting they’ve chosen.
Events will unfold across historic buildings, hospitality venues and even paddlesteamers, with Dan Sultan, Sammy J, Jock Serong and Meg Bignell among the names on the program.
Opening night at Echuca’s historic wharf promises to be something special, with Dan Sultan performing alongside Yorta Yorta musicians Benny Walker and Madi Colville-Walker.
There’s plenty to tempt food lovers, too, including a book lovers’ luncheon at Morrisons Winery and a Sunday gathering at Wildgreen in Moama featuring Kemi Nekvapil, Jade Miles and contributions from chef Daniel Giraud and Rich Glen founder Ros Vodusek.
With around 30 events across the weekend, this is a lovely opportunity to discover the region through the people and stories that make it special.
And yes, having grown up in Echuca, I’m probably a little biased. But I reckon this could become a wonderful annual event.
October 16–18, Echuca-Moama, Victoria and NSW.
Orange is ready to celebrate its wine country
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to spend a few days in one of Australia’s great cool-climate wine regions, the Orange Wine Festival might be just the ticket.
Running from October 16–25, the festival brings together more than 40 events across 10 days, with winemaker dinners, long lunches, cellar door experiences, wine tastings and the popular opening-night markets at Robertson Park.
It’s a chance to meet the people behind the bottles, explore some beautiful countryside and discover wines you might not encounter at your local bottle shop.
And with spring well underway, Orange is a particularly attractive destination for a few days away.
October 16–25, Orange, NSW.
A BIT DIFFERENT
Whiskey, cowboy boots and line dancing on Sydney Harbour
If you’ve ever fancied a little Tennessee-style hospitality without the long-haul flight, Jack Daniel’s has something rather entertaining planned for Sydney Harbour.
On November 12, an iconic Sydney Showboats paddlewheeler will be transformed into a floating Southern hoedown to celebrate the arrival of the whiskey maker’s new Southern Lemonade and Southern Peach flavours.
There’ll be Southern barbecue, live country music and line dancing led by Sydney Saddle Club.
And before anyone panics, the dancing is beginner-friendly, so you won’t need to have mastered the boot-scoot before boarding.
Tickets are listed at $43.66 and include barbecue catering, drinks service and entertainment.
Cowboy boots, hats, leather and denim are encouraged. Whether anyone actually manages to keep their hat on while line dancing aboard a boat remains to be seen.
Thursday, November 12, 6pm–9.30pm. Sydney Showboats, King Street Wharf 5, Sydney.
On My Radar
Adam Liaw brings Asian home cooking back to basics
Fifty years after Charmaine Solomon’s The Complete Asian Cookbook helped introduce generations of Australians to the joys of Asian cooking, Adam Liaw has produced a substantial new volume that looks destined for plenty of kitchen benches.
His latest book, Asian Home Cooking, takes readers through more than 200 recipes spanning 23 countries and 28 regions, with an emphasis on the dishes families actually prepare at home rather than the elaborate creations we might order in restaurants.
It’s a welcome reminder that Asian cooking needn’t involve a cupboard full of obscure ingredients or an entire afternoon at the stove.
At 448 pages, it’s quite a hefty offering, but with Liaw’s approachable style and knowledge of Asian food cultures, this looks like a particularly useful addition to the cookbook shelf.
Asian Home Cooking, Adam Liaw. Hardie Grant Books, released October 1. RRP $65.
Stay tuned for an edited extract from Asian Home Cooking at www.startsat60.com tomorrow.
AFTER DARK
Champagne, cabaret and a little mischief
Ten years after Blanc de Blanc first burst onto the stage at the Sydney Opera House, the Champagne-soaked cabaret spectacular is returning to Sydney.
Opening October 28 at The Grand Electric in Surry Hills, the new season promises acrobats, aerialists, dancers, burlesque, cheeky comedy and enough vintage glamour to make an ordinary night out feel terribly underdressed.
The international cast includes American host Alex Makardish, world champion contortionist Misha Makarov and award-winning aerialists making their Sydney stage debuts.
Producer Jess Copas has also promised the return of a rather infamous hot-tub scene, which should give you some idea of the evening’s direction.
Tickets start at $75, with premium Moët & Chandon Champagne tables for two priced up to $449.
It sounds like an excellent excuse to dress up, head into the city and enjoy something wonderfully outrageous.
From October 28, The Grand Electric, 199 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills.
LOCAL LEGEND
The Adelaide Hills pub with 1,680 reasons to stay awhile
There are country pubs with a decent wine list, and then there’s the Crafers Hotel in the Adelaide Hills.
This magnificent old establishment, which first opened in 1839, has just been named Australia’s Best Pub Dining Wine List at the 2026 Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards.
And when you discover there are a staggering 1,680 wines on the list, you begin to understand why.
From outstanding South Australian producers to prestigious Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne, the collection is the sort that could keep a wine lover happily occupied for days.
But Crafers isn’t simply about expensive bottles and serious collectors.
The beautifully restored hotel retains its country pub character, complete with exposed stonework, open fires and a French-influenced bistro celebrating local produce.
It’s only about 20 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, making it an easy detour into the Hills.
Although, with accommodation available, I’d be inclined to leave the car parked and stay the night.
The Crafers Hotel, 8 Main Street, Crafers, South Australia.
Until next Friday… keep discovering, keep tasting and never drive past a country pub on an empty stomach.
Proudly Australian owned and operated
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